Salomon Xtrail Run

It was a fun-filled morning taking part in the Salomon Xtrail Run at UPM Serdang on Sunday, 30 Sept 2012.

 

After the previous day's rain, the trails were muddy and slippery. It always sounds familiar that it rained the day before a trail running event to add more fun and challenges to the event.

 

To make the event more challenging, the participants were required to "wet their legs" by running into a trench filled with muddy water at the 1km mark. I heard the worried cry from other runners: "aiyo, not so early of the run to wet our shoes".

 A group photo at the starting line @ 6:30 a.m. as planned. Yours truly (KC) is second from right, front.

All photos courtesy of DC Tan (4th from left, back row).

Trails running require quick thinking – all the time – as to where to put your next foot forward on the uneven ground. While we were busy running and admiring the scenic view of UPM hills, there were lots of landmines on these trails – cow dung.  Looking at the distorted messy pit on the ground, it was evidenced that many of the participants stepped on the landmines for even better and unforgettable experience.

 

Another interesting experience was that the trail running shoes that were soaked in the water were getting heavier with more mud stuck to the bottom of the shoes. After running up and down a few of the rolling hills, one would be partly tired to be more conscious of the slightest increase in weight of the soiled shoes.

UPM Stadium ... good turn-out for a total of 2,000 runners (maximum) 

On the returning journey, all runners are required to run through the trench of muddy water again. This time, all are happily to comply as it is only 1km to the finishing line. Well, if a runner stepped on to the cow dung, running through the water would come in handy to wash away the dung.


At the finishing point, lots of food and drinks were served to the participants to replenish the lost energy - a unique feature of events organize by Pacesetters Club. The popular stalls were serving Gatorade drinks, watermelons, tau foo fah, nasi lemak, etc. Judging from the way some of us eat, we could be putting in more calories than required. Meeting other runner friends, engaging in heightened chat and taking lots of photos were other highlights of any running events.

Spectacular performance 

Suggestion for improvement:

a. preferably try not to force all participants to wet their shoes at the early stage of the run. If any of the runners got injure by climbing over the obstacle (in this case, the board made from plywood), then it would not be a happy finishing;

b. change the trails to attract more particpants; after all, there are so many new trails within the compound of UPM.

 

 Please don’t let go my hand ... I do not want to drop into the water ... :-)

Congratulations to the organizing committee of Pacesetters Club and the volunteers for successfully organizing this fun and yet challenging event; also Salomon for sponsoring the event. Looking forward to next year's Xtrail run again. Bravo!

 Our Chief Marshal, TonyQ (wearing a white helmet), is having a very challenging time directing the ladies to run into the muddy water ... :-)
(this photo courtesy of Lydia Jian)

 Part of the track ... uphill run 

 The only spectators ... herd of cows

 Muddy and slippery ground

 While passing by this cow (or is it a bull?), it is making a lot of noise. We are not sure whether it is cheering the runners or angry with the runners for disturbing its gazing on a quiet Sunday morning (we would know if the fence is down) ... :-)

 Taking a breather ... (this photo courtesy of Lydia Jian)

 Scenic view of UPM

 

Brewing Teh Tarik "kaw kaw" ... this is the trench of muddy water (4th photo from top)

 After the run ... all smiles (yours truly, kC, in front)

 This is supposed to be a chest-UP pose ... :-)

 All the pretty and keng chow lady runners ... with DC Tan (front, right)

 Having fun ... for Salomon Xtrail Run, it synchronizes to wear Salomon trail running shoes

 Yow yeng and mouth-watering Salomon trail running shoes ... very good promotion rate. On the average, the marked down price cost between RM 200 to RM 300 a pair (this photo courtesy of runwitme).

 Salomon Xtrail Run at UPM - The trails for running are areas of open grassland nestled in the hills of UPM as demarcated by SILK Highway, North-South Highways and the KLIA Express Rail Link.

Total distance is 11.40km and my not-too-fast timing is 1 hr 8 minutes. From the elevation map, the slopes are still able to run.

Yours truly (KC) ... photo courtesy of the.marathon.world

Posted by KC Leong